Gears of War: E-Day story director laid off ahead of launch
Juan Vaca, the story director for the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day, has been laid off by Xbox as part of recent job cuts. Vaca confirmed his departure on LinkedIn, stating he is seeking new opportunities. This news comes shortly before the game's scheduled October 6th release on PC and Xbox Series X/S, though The Coalition has stated the game is on track and has gone gold.
All 5 outlets reported that Vaca's layoff is part of a larger wave of redundancies across Xbox Game Studios. Eurogamer specified that studios like Rare, World's Edge, Playground Games, Turn 10 Studios, Obsidian Entertainment, and 343 Industries were affected, with Ninja Theory reportedly heading towards closure. Gamespot added that further cuts are expected at Blizzard.
Coverage across 5 outlets
Gears of War: E-Day Story Director Laid Off Just Before Launch
Juan Vaca, the story director for Gears of War: E-Day, was laid off from The Coalition as part of recent Xbox job cuts. Vaca announced his departure after the game reached its gold milestone, stating he is seeking new opportunities. This follows a larger wave of layoffs impacting Xbox Game Studios, with further cuts expected at Blizzard.
Gears of War: E-Day director laid off days after completing development as Xbox cuts reach The Coalition
Juan Vaca, the story director for the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day, has been laid off by Microsoft as part of its ongoing job cuts. This news comes just days after Vaca celebrated the game going gold, and it follows a larger wave of redundancies across Xbox studios, including Halo Studios. The reasons for Vaca's dismissal, particularly so close to the game's October 2026 release, remain unclear.
Xbox lays off Gears of War: E-Day's story director barely two weeks before the game's launch
Xbox has conducted significant layoffs, impacting the story director of the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day, Juan Vaca, just weeks before its October 6th release. This news comes amidst broader restructuring within Xbox, affecting studios like Rare, World's Edge, Playground Games, Turn 10 Studios, Obsidian Entertainment, and 343 Industries, with Ninja Theory reportedly heading towards closure.
Gears of War: E-Day Story Director Laid Off Just a Week Before Early Access Launch
The story director for Gears of War: E-Day has been laid off just one week before the game's early access launch. This news comes as a surprise given the proximity to the release.
Gears of War: E-Day’s Story Director Juan Vaca is Among Those Affected by Xbox’s Latest Layoffs
Xbox has conducted another round of layoffs, affecting numerous employees across Xbox Game Studios, including Juan Vaca, the story director for the upcoming Gears of War: E-Day. Vaca confirmed his departure on LinkedIn, stating he is seeking new opportunities. The news comes shortly before the game's scheduled October 6th release on PC and Xbox Series X/S, though The Coalition has stated the game is on track and has gone gold.
